Safety and Security
The AYAD Program’s first priority is the safety and security of AYAD volunteers. The AYAD Program constantly monitors the security situation in all the countries in which it operates in partnership with the Australian Government's overseas aid agency, AusAID, the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, partner governments and our staff on the ground to ensure the safety and security of all AYADs.
The AYAD Program operates in developing countries across Asia, the Pacific and Africa and instability is common in many of the developing countries where AYADs are placed. While the AYAD Program takes every precaution to ensure the safety of AYADs, you should be aware that you could be evacuated if the situation in a particular country becomes unstable. You will need to be flexible enough to cooperate with the program if such a situation occurs, as it has in several countries recently.
In a situation where the safety and security of an AYAD cannot be assured, the AYAD Program will withdraw the volunteer. Options for withdrawn volunteers depend on the nature of the emergency but can include being remobilised once the situation stabilises, mobilisation to similar assignments in different areas or countries or termination of the volunteer assignment.
Trudy O'Connor - Science Communications Officer, Indonesia
Host - International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), South-east Asia Regional Office